Drowning in debt? Here’s some help

Many people, at some point in their lives end up in financial debt. Nobody likes it, but it just happens.

Taking loans is perfectly permissible in Islam, as long as it doesn’t entail riba (usury) and it isn’t for a purpose that is against Islam.

Below are 7 ways to eradicate debt from our lives, inshallah.Du’as for the Fulfillment of Debts
1) Sayyidatuna Aishah (radiyallahu’anha) says: “Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) would seek refuge from debts at the end of his Salah (i.e, before the salam). When he was asked about why he did it so frequently, Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) said: “When a man falls in to debt, he speaks lies and breaches his promises.” (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 832 & 2397)

The words of that du’a are:اللّٰهُمَّ إني أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ المأْثَمِ وَالمَغْرَم
Allahumma innee a’oodhu bika minal ma-thami wal maghram O Allah! I seek your protection from sin and debts.
Note: If one cannot recite this before the salaam, one could recite it after the salaam with the hope that Allah Ta’ala accepts it.

2) Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) taught the following du’a to Sayyiduna Mu’ad ibn Jabal (radiyallahu’anhu) for removal of debts:اللهُمَّ مالِكَ المُلْكِ، تُؤْتِي المُلْكَ مَنْ تَشاء وَتَنْزِعُ المُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشاءُ، وَتُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشاءُ بِيَدِكَ الخَيرُ، إنَّكَ علٰى كُلّ شَيءٍ قَدير، رَحْمٰنَ الدنيا وَالآخِرَة تُعْطِيهِما مَنْ تَشاءُ وَتَمْنَعُ مِنْهُمامَنْ تَشاء، اِرْحَمْنِي رَحْمَةً تُغْنِيْنِيْ بِها عَنْ رَحْمَةِ مَنْ سِوَاكْ
Allahumma Malikal Mulk, Tu-til Mulka man tasha-u watanzi’ul Mulka mimman tasha-u, wa tu’izzu man tasha-u, watudhillu mahtasha-u, biyadikal khairu innaka ‘ala kulli shai-in Qadeer.
Rahmanad Dunya wal Akhirati tu’tihima man tasha-u wa tamna’u minhuma man tasha-u irhamnee Rahmatan min ‘indik, tughni nee biha ‘an Rahmati man siwakTranslation: O Allah! possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endow with honor whom You will. In Your Hand is all good. Verily, You are Able to do all things. You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account). O Most Merciful of this world and the Hereafter, You give from them whatever You wish and You deprive whomsoever You wish. Shower upon me such mercy, which will make me independent from the mercy of those besides You.’

Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) said to Sayyiduna Mu’adh (radiyallahu’anhu): “If you recite this du’a, your debts will be cleared even if they equal to mount Uhud.” (al-Mu’jam al-saghir; see Majma’uz Zawa’id vol.10 pg.186).
Hafiz al-Haythami (rahimahullah) has classified its narrators as reliable and ‘Allamah Mundhiri (rahimahullah) has declared the chain as good. (Majma’uz Zawa’id vol.10 pg.186 & Targheeb, vol.2 pg.614)

In another narration, Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) is reported to have taught a similar du’a to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radiyallahu’anhu). (Mustadrak Hakim, vol.1 pg.515) In a narration of Ibn Abi Shaybah, ‘Abdullah ibn Sabit says: Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) would himself recite these words and give it great importance. (see Shaykh ‘Awwamah’s footnote on Majalis of Ibn Nasirud Deen, pg.201)

Repentance
6) Abundant Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) is also a potent way to remove financial and other worries. (surah Nuh, Ayah: 10-11)

Rasulullah (sallallahu’alaihi wasallam) has said: “Whoever steadily recites istighfar (like the words: Astaghfirullah) will find Allah creating ease for him from every difficulty and relief from every worry and Allah will provide sustenance for him from where he cannot fathom” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 1513. Imam Hakim has declared this narration as sahih-authentic- see Targheeb, vol.2, pg.617)

Intention
7) Most important is one’s intention to repay the debt. The hadith promises Allah’s help for those who sincerely want to settle their debts. (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 2387, also see Targheeb, vol.2 pg.598)